Automatic train pipe coupling



Aug. 2l, 1934. J. ROBINSON AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE COUPLING Original FiledDec. 15, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l 25 soV INVENTOR ATTORNEYS BY /pmw Aug.2l, 1934.

J. RoBlNsoN 1,970,980

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE COUPLING original Fild Deo. 15. 1930 2 sheets-sheet2 W INVENTORl BY A ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 21, 1934 UNITEDA STA-Tas irepaso AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE COUPLING vJoseph Robinson, New York, N. Y.,assigner of one-half to vRoy M. W Canada Application December 15 RenewedJan 9 claims.

knuckle side of the car coupler of the car equipped.

When the funnel is so located, to avoid breakage it becomes necessarythat theA coupling head shall pivot or rotate on the forward end' of itssupport when'the couplers slip pasteach other, particu# L larly on theknuckle side,as they frequently doin service. In a couplingheadhaving-its airconduit disposed thereon obliquely to the longitudinalYdirection of the connector, which is thetype of head'that forms a partof this application; the funnel cannot be located elsewhere than onthevr knuckle sideof the car coupler. When the couplers slip by thepivotalimovement ofthe coupling head is often-of :considerable extentand often places the train pipe h ose under vconsiderable strain.-V 4Andinasmuch as the air conduit must be capable of being removed andreplaced topermit of the renewal of gaskets while mated c0u' plingheadsremain coupled, it becomes necessary, because of thestrain on the hoseunder extreme, pivotal movement of the head, to provide a pow erfulretaining means for'the replaceable conduit. These objects andimprovements are accom-- plished by the constructions and arrangementshereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings inwhich f Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of my improvement;

Figure 2 is a sectional plan view thereof; Figure 3 is a rear view ofthe couplinghead. Inrthis viewa part of the funnel of the head is brokenaway; n -y Figure 4 is a` sectional -side elevation `through thehousing-for the conduit or air'ttng of myA improved coupling `headshowing the 'Y fitting! mounted therein, and showing also theruggedmeans for removably holding the fitting iin place; c Figure 5 is aplan View of the-supplementary supporting rod or member I; j

Figure 6 is a front view in elevation of thebracket A of my improvementwith the spring` seatBomitted; f u Figure 7 is a detail view inelevation of the rear portion of my improved support showing thel lowerend of the bracket A and the universal joint; and" Figure 8 is a frontelevation of the spring seatA or `'pivot block B with the yoke'Dshown'in'section. In this view the bracket A and the flange or lstopmember E are omitted. My improved automatic coupling is supported, fromthe car or from thel coupler in any desired,

- ment.

olvin, Montreal, Quebec,

, 1930, Serial No. 502,4 uary. 11, 1933 manner as bythe usual lugrwelded to or cast integral with the car coupler head, not shown. To thelug the bracket A of my improvement is suitably 'attached as by bolts'or rivets.v At its lower en'd the bracket is provided with'a verticallydisposed lug or seat'l'preferably round in cross section and offsetrearwardly, or otherwise arranged to provide a Adepression or recesstoIform aseat 11 on the front face of the lower end of the bracket, asshown in Figure l. vA pivot block or` spring seat B is provided with arearwardlyY extended somewhat elongated portion l2 which spansthe lug l0and is seated in saidv seat for rockingf'rnovement thereon, thecontacting sur-V faces of said'pivot block and said seat 1I being aredinY opposite directions. Thepivot block is provided on its front facewith a seat for the buffer spring C, and hasv in front view the generaloutline of an inverted T to permit of easy assem-v bly-#see Figure 8.Spanning the lower end of the bracket and the pivot block B, and lyingwithin said buffer spring C, I provide yoke D comprising spaced'strapsor portions 14 which lead rearwardly away from the forward enlargedhollow threaded end l5 of the yoke and span the universal joint of myimprovement, as illustrated particularly in Figures 1 and 2. The 'rearportions of the straps or arms 14 are offsetlaterally, Figure 2,andterminate in cylindrically shaped portions 16 Which'eirtend through*yand closely tvvthinrelatively deep seats or bearings 17 formedintegrally with the ange or stopmember E of myimprove- The connectionbetween the portions 1'6 and the vlstop E is preferably such as to makea firm and powerfulv union between these parts. The stop is providedwith vertically disposed walls or webs 18 whichatrtheir top and bottomedges extend Y horizontally a short Vdistance as atl lil- Figure andthen taper inwardly-towards the straps 14 as shown.' These websorportions lie between the projectionsor crosswiseextending lugs orshouldersZO' of the bracket,` Figures 6 and 7, and fit rather closelytherebetween to prevent undue rotation ofthe `coupling head F from thenormal position shown in Figures 1 and 3. The threaded Y portions 16 ofthe straps 14 are of ample strength and'length to permit the coupling`head F to be f' Y drawn rearwardly against the spring `C until thedesired initial compressionv or resistance inthe spring is secured, whenassembling the parts. Or this lmovement, andthe assembly of the head,may-be'obtained by screwing the head onto the yoke'D through the mediumofthethreaded connection betweenthe forward'end' l5 of the yoke and theswivel head G of my improvement. When the head is thus assembled ontothe yoke the swivel member and the yoke are locked in position by meansof a suitable pin 21` which passes therethrough. The pin is insertedbetween the coils of spring C and through the enlarged openings 22 inthe collar or abutment housing H. This housing is made of any suitablematerial and is slidably mounted on the swivel member G and lies withinthe spring C. At its forward end it is provided with an annular seat 23against which the spring.

rests, and its front face bears normally against an annular ring, orsuitable bearing surfaces 23e, formed on the rear of the coupling headF, shown particularly in Figure 3. Projecting rearwardly from the rearside of the head, and suitably spaced apart to receive the perforatedeye 24 of the swivel member G, are suitable lugs 25. A swivel or anchorpin 26 of rugged construction passes vertically through these lugs and`the swivel eye and pivotally and powerfully anchors the parts together.A cotter 27 holds the swivel pin in place as does also the housing orsleeve H. It will be noted that the swivel member G is tapered inwardlyas at 28. This is done to` reduce the width of the swivel eye where itjoins its barrel or hollow body portion 29. This arrangement allows thehead F to pivot on theforward end of the yoke (considering the swivelmember as a part of the yoke) to the position shown by the dot and dashlines, Figure 2, and` serves to provide an abutment or stop 30 for thelug or portion 23a of the head to strike against when the head pivots tothe extreme position described. It will be noted that the axis of theswivel pin 26. and the surfaces of the lugs 23a against which the collarH bears, are in the same plane. v

A supplementary supporting rod I, split and threaded at its forward endas shown in Figure 5, spans the bracket A loosely and is pivoted thereonand lies between the supporting collars or annularrshoulders 31 frombetween which it cannot be accidentally dislodged. At its forward endthe rod carries a forked head 32 adjustably se-;

cured to the rod, as by threads, and spanning a suitable lug 33 formedon the connector head F.1

The head of the rod is pivoted to the lug by means of a pin 34 the axisof which is preferably in the same plane as the axis of the swivel pin26.

The coupling head F is of the pin and funnel type, with the funnellocated to the left of the center line of the connector viewed from thefront. This location places the funnel on the knuckle side of the carcoupler in general use on American railways, a fact important inconnection with this invention as will be later pointed out. Extendingdiagonally of the longitudinal center line of the connector, andremovably mounted in a housing or nipple 35 of the coupling head, Iprovide a tting or conduit 36` which suitably receives the lower end ofthe usual train pipe hose 37. This fitting is provided at its forwardendwith a suitable annular groove carrying an air expanded or balloon typeof gasket 38, see partioularly Figure 4. The conduit is provided with Lan annular shoulder or collar 39 which abats the rear face of thehousing or nipple 35 and serves not only to close the housing againstadl mission thereto of snow, ice, etc. but serves also as a. stop forlimiting the forward movement of the conduit 36 in the housing 35 andproperly posi-`V tioning the gasket 38 with respect to the pulling faceof the head F. An elongated opening 35? formed in the bottom of thehousing serves as an exit for such objectionable foreign matterI as.Imight'accumulate therein. f

Between its gasket carrying end and the shoulder 39, the conduit isprovided with a semiannular collar or lug 40 against which the nose 41of an adjustable threaded rustproofed plug 42 abuts. The plunger isthreaded diagonally through a lug 43 arranged on the upper or other sideof said housing and serves to powerfully anchor the conduit in thehousing. Faces or supporting ribs, inclined at their top faces as shown,

extend radially from opposite sides of the conduit and serve vtoposition its rear end in the housing,

A suitable nut 44, preferably having wings or Thus a worn gasket 38 maybe replaced with a newgasket while the connector heads remain coupled.

Webs or guide lugs 46 extend parallel to the axisy of the forepart ofthe conduit 36, and thence incline inwardly asshown. They serve toverti-` cally position the rear part of the conduit, and act as bearinglugs or guides whichslide along the inner wall of the housing 35 as theconduit is moved to the service position, To facilitate such movement,and guide the gasket carrying end of the conduit into itsserviceposition in the face of the coupling` head F (Figure 4) I providethe housing with an annular seat 47 inclined at' 48.

. To the right of the longitudinal center line of the connector, viewedfrom the front,l I provide my improved coupling head F with a horn orbase 494 having a relatively short and wide or blunt curved nose 50which is formed separately ofl the head, or integral therewith, and isprovided with a shank 5l which is pressed into a bore or bearing 52formed on the head, as shown particularly in Figure 2. Adjacent the nose50and integral with the base 49, I provide an inclinedlaterallyextending lug or guiding pilot 53 which,.

under extreme coupling conditions, engages the inner Wall 54 of thefunnel 55 and assists in aligning the heads. with a bearing surface 56which is either tted to or lies close to the Wall 54 when opposing headsThe guide or pilot is provided are coupled, and it may be made to anydesired shape, either wider or narrower than shown, and with or withouta ball shaped rear or outer end. y

It will be understood that the nose 50 maybe made of any suitablematerial. It is preferably forged and hardened. When in the coupledposition it rests in the rearwardly offset bearings 57 formed at theapex of the funnel 55. These bearings or seats consist of four lugs 58,spaced apart, and one of which forms the seat 23a herein--v beforedescribed, for the sleeve or collar H, see

Figure 2. The metal between the lugs is out away to form openings 59 forthe exit of foreign substances that might otherwise accumulate in thefunnel and interfere with the proper seating of the heads F.

VPassing the conduit 36 through the head-at an angle to the longitudinaldirection of the connector presents the advantage of giving the air adirect course from one car to the other. It is an advantage secured onlyby placing the funnel g of the connector head on the knuckle side of thecar coupler, thatis on the left side of the center line of the connectorviewed kfromvthe front.-

connection The funnel-cannot be otherwise placed without sacrificing theadvantage of-pas'sing 'the fitting through the headatI an angle-to thelongitudinal directio'nofthe connector. When* located as describedtheunnels of opposing connectors will overlap,` as shown in dottedflines`in Figure 2, whencar couplers slip by on the knuckle side, as theyoccasionallydo in service. When this happens the'buie'r springC ywill becompressed solid, unless thehead is'provided with the swivel jointhereinbefore "described, and as the compressional travel ofthe springis'not suicient to take care of'icar couplerslip-bys on the knuckle'sidawhich frequently amount to as much as 15" or 20, the bracket A or otherparts ofthe connector will be broken. --Butby connecting thecoupling'head'F tothe yokeD by means of my improved swivel joint theheadmay rotate `to the position shown by dot'anddash lines in Figure 2, andthus avoid damage to any of theconnector-parts; Under car couplerlslip-bys of the lcharacter described the couplinghead Erot'ates, ofcourse, against the tension `of the buffer spring C, the housingorsleeve H sliding rearwardly along the swivel head or' barrel G and'overthe fork formed by the straps 11iV ofthe yoke D. To prevent rust foulingmove-4 nient ofthe sleeve H, I either pack the joint with a heavylubricant, or I provide the swivel head G withI a bronze or othersuitable bushing firmly pressed onto the swivel head. The resistance ofthe buffer springC is' such as to make my improved swivel jointrelatively stiff so as to prevent undesired movement in it when the carspas's swiftly around sharp curves, or suddenly assume substantialdifferences in height, or whenl the cars are being coupled'under eitherof these conditions." `Movement to accommodate the connector to theseconditions is provided bythe universal joint formed between the pivotblock Band the lug 1'!)v of the bracket, Figures 1 and'2.

5 t will, of course, be understoodv that if thecarcouplersl slip by onthe guard arm side, which is onl the right hand side of theconnectorviewed from the front, my improved swivel or pivot joint willrotate in the opposite direction to that shown by the dot `anddashmlines in Figure 2; It will alsobefunderstood'th'at especiallyduring coupler slip-bys great strain is inevitably placed upon the hose37, hence the importance of the powerful locking means illustrated inFigure 4 for the conduit 36.

While I show the stop or flange member E as being generally U-shapedviewed from the top,

:l--iland provided with two vertically disposed webs 18 lying onopposite sides of the longitudinal center line of the connector andtting, as aforesaid, closely between the shoulders 20 of the bracketwhen in the normal uncoupled position,

*it will be understood that this stop member may be formed integral withthe fork straps 14 of the yoke D and all the assembly compression of thespring C secured by thread connection between ,the swivel member G andthe yoke. If preferred,

the yoke and the swivel member may be made integral and the assemblycompression of the spring C obtained bythe adjustment nuts 6l. 'It willbe noted that the stop E bears against the ,rear face of the lowerportion of the bracket A at points considerably above and below thecenter of the seat 1l, Figures l and 2. With this arrangement thesupporting rod I may be omitted ii preferred by slightly furthercompressing the IL-:spring C. With the supporting rod in use the betweenthe head F and the" yoke DV considerably lessened from that shown; WhatIclaim ist l. An automatic ltrain'- pipe coupling compris` ing incombination,V a couplinghead, a-bracket, said bracket' having formedon-the front face of its lower portion a seat, amem'berspanning thebracket and extending forwardly thereof,Y a cou pling threadinglyconnectedto said member and pivotally" connected 'to 'said' head at the"rear side ofthe latterpa pivot block projectingintosaid memberand-mountedlonthe seat on saidbracket for rockingmovement thereon, asleevev embracing the pivotal connection-between Said member and saidhead and having sliding relations-thereto, and a'spring'interposedbetween the bracket land the headv and surroundingsaid member'andresting at one end 'upon said pivot block and at the other end-'uponsaid sleeve,v

said springfserving-tol project said coupling head and to yieldinglyresist pivotal'inovement thereof.

VV2. An automatic t'rain'p'ipe coupling compris ing incombination,a'coupling head having rear- A wardly vextending projections on its rearside, a swivelmember having an eye disposedlbetween said projections andpivotally arranged' therein,

apivot "block pivotally yseated on the -front face of the lower portionof saidbracket; a member spanning said bracket and said pivot block an'dadjustably connected to said swivel member, a'

movement of said head." Y

o 3. Anv automatic train pipe coupling compris'- 1 ingin combination,acoupling head, 'a bracket vertical' length of the I' flange ory stop Emay bel ico for supporting the head froma fixed-part of the car, saidbracket'having on its 'lower front face a'` seat, a pivot device mountedon'js'aid seat' for rocking movement thereon, a member spanning saidbracket and said-'pivot block'and projecting forwardlyv of the "bracket,said member'- being pivotally connecte'dvto thejrearf'side 'of'saidfcoupling head," a spring 'surroundingfthe Vmember v and bearing atone end upon said pivot block and supported at the forward end adjacentthe rear side of said head, a supplementary supporting rod embracingsaid bracket above said pivot block and adapted to pivot on the bracket,and means at the forward end of said supporting rod for pivotallyconnecting the rod to said coupling head with the axis of its pivotdisposed in substantially the same plane as the axis of the pivotalconnection between said member and said coupling head.

4. An automatic train pipe coupling comprising in combination, acoupling head, a bracket for supporting the head from a fixed part ofthe car, said bracket having a seat formed on the front face of itslower portion and provided above and below said seat with crosswiseextending shoulders or lugs, a member spanning said bracket and havingwidened portions positioned between said lugs and engaging therewith toprevent undue rotation of said coupling head about itslongitudinal'waxis, a pivot block extending into said member and mountedon the seat on said bracket for rocking movement thereon, said memberbeing pivotally connected to therear side of said coupling head andhaving threaded means for adjusting said head longitudinally relativeitosaidbracketto `place saidspring under compressionin assembling theparts, asleeve interposed between one end of said spring andsaid'ooupling head, and 21j-,supplemental support- 'E ing rod embracingsaid'bracket above said pivot block L and between.- annular retainingshoulders formed Vonthe bracket above said block, saidVA and adjustably'supporting rod beingVV pivotally connected to said coupling head.

for supportingthe head fromla fixed part of the car, amember extendingrearwardly from the head and spanning said bracket and having on itsrear portion a projection normally-engaging the rear face ofthe bracket,said bracketbeing provided with laterally extending shoulders orlugs andsaid member being provided withfvertically disposed webs closely ttingbe` tween said lugs and having upper andlower edges which. extendparallel tohsaid member and then incline inwardly in the verticall planetoward the center of said member, a support fora spring pivotallymounted onl the Afront` face of` said bracket, andi-a spring supportedon said spring support and acting to normally hold said projectionagainst the rear face of said bracket and to place said coupling headunder pressure in coupling. d. Y

6. An automatic train pipe coupling comprising in combination, a.coupling` head provided withv a chamber extending obliquely to the1ongitudinalcenter line of the head, means for supporting the `-headv ona xed part of the car,

said meansincluding a bracket and a member 'which spans the bracket andisv pivotally connected atv its forward end to said head, a springinterposed between said bracket and the rear side of said coupling headto yieldingly project the 4head and resist pivotal movement thereofabout said pivotal connection, al trai-n pipe hose connected to saidhead by means of a conduit removablyvmounted in said chamber, and ruggedmeans carried by said chamber for removably .7.d-retaining said conduitin said chamber and for eiectual-lyresistingthe strains set up in saidhose when said4 coupling head pivots as the car coupler slips by on theknuckle side in service.

'1. An automatic train pipe coupling compris-j ing in combination, acoupling head, a bracket for supporting the head from a xed part of thecar,v a spring support pivotally mounted on. said bracket, a memberextending from the head rearwardly and spanning said bracket and. thepivotal connection between the bracket and said support, a springmounted on said spring support for yieldingly projecting said head, andmeans for preventing undue rotation of saidvhead about the longitudinalaxis of said member, said means*` including a part which spans saidbracket and is adjustably connected to the rear portion of said member.

8. An automatic train pipe coupling compris;

ing in combination, a coupling head,l a bracket for supporting the headfrom a xed part of the car, a spring support pivotally mounted on saidbracket, a member extending from the head; rearwardly and spanning saidbracketand4 the pivotal connection between the bracket and said support,a spring interposed between said bracket and said coupling head andvmounted on one end of said spring support and at the other end adjacentsaid coupling head,y and means for preventing undue rotation oi saidcoupling head: aboutthe longitudinal axis of said member, said meansincluding a part having a pair of torwardly extending lugs which spanthe lower portion of said bracket, and'means for adjustably securingsaid part to said member and for plac ing said spring under tension inassembling the parts.

9. An automatic trainpipe coupling. comprising in combination, a`coupling head', a bracket, a member connected to said head and extendingrearwardly past said bracket, a coupling threadingly connected to saidmemberl and pivotally connected to said head at the rear side of thelatter, a sleeve embracing the pivotal com-ieictionvv between saidcoupling and said head and having sliding relation to said coupling, aspring interposed between said bracket and head and surrounding saidmember and bearing atv its front: end against said sleeve, said springserving to project said coupling head' and to yieldingly resist. pivotalmovement thereof.

JOSEPH ROBINSON-

